This invention relates generally to security and hurricane shutters, and more particularly to a security and hurricane shutter with a means for adjusting the angle between adjoining blades to vary the strength of the shutter against impact.
In recent years, coastal areas of the United States have been subjected to hurricane storms of increasing intensity. On Aug. 17, 1992, Hurricane Andrew, one of the most severe storms ever recorded on the Eastern and Gulf Coasts of the United States, struck Southern Florida. The damage to commercial, industrial and residential structures was extensive with upwards of 250,000 people made homeless. In the wake of this storm, regulatory agencies in Florida have increased the required strength of security and hurricane shutters to withstand high winds and impact of debris and other flying objects caused by hurricanes. It will now be required that all newly installed security and hurricane shutters be capable of withstanding winds of up to 200 miles per hour and up to 2 successive impacts of a 2.times.4 beam weighing 8 lbs. and traveling at 55 miles per hour.
Existing vertical and horizontal shutters which have blades, which are positioned to form an essentially flat surface in their operating position, do not have the strength to withstand the high winds and impacts which occur during severe hurricane storms such as Hurricane Andrew. In addition, existing vertical shutters are the roll-up type which require large enclosure boxes, and which are extended by gravity feed which can cause problems in case of jams.
There is a need, therefore, for a shutter which has the stability and strength to withstand higher wind velocities and higher impacts than is presently available with existing shutters.